Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

After saying that, the man's body disappeared, and I returned to the cave. When I opened my eyes, I found that my hands were still holding the artifact. Then I heard the Holy Buddha say to me, "Xiuchen, what's wrong with you? Your thoughts suddenly disappeared just now. I thought you were dead."

I heard the Holy Buddha say, "Didn't you say you could guarantee I wouldn't die? What happened just now?" The Holy Buddha stammered, "I was lying to you. I just wanted you to recognize the divine artifact as your master so you would have a powerful magic weapon in the future. I didn't know that such a thing would happen."

I heard the Buddha sound aggrieved, and then I said to the Buddha, "It's alright, it's nothing, I'm back now." Then the Buddha said to me, "Tell me quickly, what just happened to you? I was so worried."

After that, I told the Holy Buddha everything that had happened. After listening, the Holy Buddha said to me, "You really have incredible luck. You managed to encounter such a good thing and a legacy. Your luck is absolutely amazing."

After hearing what the Holy Buddha said, I replied, "You don't even know who I am." The Holy Buddha replied, "Stop bragging. Since you have already obtained the Martial Emperor's inheritance, then try to see if you can take away the divine artifact."

After hearing the words of the Holy Buddha, I looked down at the divine artifact in my hand. As I pondered how to take possession of the artifact, I heard a voice from within it say to me, "You are the successor of your master."

I subconsciously answered, "Yes, may I ask who you are?" The voice said, "That's right. No wonder I just felt my master's power from you. I am the spirit of this artifact. You can call me Panlong. This artifact is a divine weapon that a master crafted from a real dragon in ancient times. It is called the Panlong Staff."

I found Panlong's words somewhat unbelievable. I wondered how powerful that master must be to be able to forge a real dragon into a weapon.

At this moment, I said to Panlong, "Panlong, how should I put you away? If you appear in my hands like this, many powerful people will come to snatch you away."

Panlong said after hearing my words, "It's very simple. As long as you think 'Panlong Cudgel,' I will enter your body. And without your permission, no one else can detect the presence of this divine artifact inside you."

Chapter 1198 The Power of Divine Artifacts

I was taken aback by Panlong's words and said, "Does this mean I have a secret weapon that no one else knows about?" Panlong replied, "Theoretically, that's a valid interpretation."

Then I said to Panlong, "Panlong, I wonder how powerful you are?" Panlong said to me, "If you could reach the level of Dou Di, you might be able to use my full strength. Besides, you are only Dou Wang, so you can barely exert two-twentieth of my power."

I was a little disappointed when I heard Panlong's words. How could it only be two-tenths? Oh well, something is better than nothing. Then I said to Panlong, "Panlong, I wonder how much power this two-tenths of your strength really is?" Panlong replied, "I can't say for sure. You'll only know after you experience it for yourself."

I listened to Panlong's words and said, "Alright, perfect. I'll also introduce how powerful I am as a Battle King. Since I'm now inside the Monster Forest, I'll just find a monster to test my combat strength." After saying that, I chose a direction and started looking for a monster.

When I had traveled more than ten kilometers, I discovered a snake at the Douhuang level. This snake was called the Sanqi Snake. As the name suggests, its venom has the ability to corrode Douqi. If someone accidentally gets its venom on them, even a Douzun-level expert will not be able to withstand it.

When I saw this snake, I originally planned to detour to find the next monster. But then I suddenly remembered that after this mission, I wanted to travel across the continent. With this snake's venom, I could make some poisons so that I wouldn't be afraid of powerful opponents in the future.

At that moment, the venomous snake had already spotted my location. It adopted an attacking posture, its eyes fixed on me as if it considered me its prey.

I was no weaker than that monster. I pushed off the ground with both feet and circulated my internal fighting spirit. I suddenly found that my navel was much larger than before, many times larger, and I felt that its power was also very strong. Without hesitation, I used the first move of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, "Regretful Dragon Soaring," on the snake.

The snake skillfully dodged my attack with its supple body and then turned to release its venom at me. I had no choice but to use the second move of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, Flying Dragon in the Sky, to temporarily evade it by flying into the air. But the snake didn't give up; it coiled its entire body around on the ground.

I originally thought that since I flew so high, its venom wouldn't be able to hurt me, but something I never expected happened. Suddenly, its body formed a spring-like thing—yes, a spring. At that moment, I saw the snake. It sprang up and flew straight up.

I quickly descended to the ground, just then Panlong said to me, "Are you stupid? Why aren't you using the Panlong Staff?" Panlong's reminder made me realize that I still had a weapon, a divine artifact. I quickly summoned the Panlong Staff and shouted at the monster, "Beast, take this!"

This was a strange scene. The snake coiled up and started trembling. I was puzzled and asked Panlong, "What's wrong with this snake? Is it sick, or is it frightened by my aura?"

After listening, Panlong looked at me with disdain and said, "What do you mean you were scared by your aura? You were clearly afraid of the Panlong Staff. The Panlong Staff was made by a real dragon. It's just a snake. The dragon is the ancestor of the snake. Do you think a snake wouldn't be afraid when it sees its ancestor?"

I said awkwardly, "That's true, never mind." I swung the Dragon Coil Staff at the snake. Strangely, the snake didn't dodge, as if dying under the Dragon Coil Staff was its honor. Wherever the Dragon Coil Staff passed, there was a dragon's roar.

When the Panlong Staff collided with the snake, a massive explosion occurred. After the explosion, the snake vanished into nothingness, even the demon crystal within its body disappeared. I couldn't help but exclaim in astonishment, "Damn, this Panlong Staff is too monstrous! This demon beast didn't even have the power to resist before it vanished. What if it had hit a person?"

I didn't even dare to think about what would happen if the Dragon Staff hit someone. Just then, the Holy Buddha said to me, "Quickly put away the divine weapon and run, someone's coming." I listened to the Holy Buddha and quickly put the Dragon Staff back into my body, then concealed my aura and ran into the distant forest.

After I left, a man in black robes appeared at the spot where I had fought the monster. The man in black robes muttered to himself, "I clearly felt a powerful force just now, how did it suddenly disappear? Could it be that I was mistaken? That's impossible, there was clearly a battle here."

After saying that, the man in black robes looked at the spot where I disappeared, then turned and left. By then, I had run to a waterfall. I panted and said to the Holy Buddha, "Luckily I ran fast, otherwise I would not only have lost my life, but I might have also lost the divine artifact."

The Holy Buddha said to me, "Now you understand the disadvantages of being weak, right? Since you don't want others to bully you, then you must become strong immediately." I replied to the Holy Buddha, "Yes, I will become strong, and I will not let others bully me anymore."

After saying that, I sat down on the spot and began to cultivate the insufficient fighting spirit in my body. When my fighting spirit was restored, I said to the Holy Buddha, "Holy Buddha, you don't know how many moves of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms I can now cultivate."

After listening, the Holy Buddha said, "You can now learn the fifth move of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, which are: Dragon Fighting in the Wild, Hidden Dragon Do Not Use, and Advantageous to Cross the Great River." I was a little excited after hearing the Holy Buddha's words and said, "Quickly pass on the cultivation method to me, I want to cultivate it."

The Holy Buddha said, "You're too hasty. First, find a place to cultivate, and then I will teach you the cultivation methods." After hearing the Holy Buddha's words, I began searching for a place to cultivate.

I listened to what the Holy Buddha said and said, "That's right. Let's find a place to cultivate first, so we won't attract other people's attention anymore. Holy Buddha, you're so smart, haha."

As I searched around, Panlong said to me, "There is a very large cave behind the waterfall, which is perfect for your cultivation." After hearing Panlong's words, I looked at the waterfall and said, "That's clearly a waterfall, how can there be a cave?" Panlong replied, "You'll know whether there's a cave or not when you fly into the waterfall."

Listening to Panlong's words, I looked somewhat disbelieving, and then I flew towards the waterfall. As we approached the waterfall, I said, "If there weren't a cave behind this, my handsome face would probably be ruined."

As I flew towards the waterfall with my eyes closed, I felt the water hitting my body. I originally thought I would be swept directly into the waterfall, but something unexpected happened. I kept flying without feeling like I was falling. When I opened my eyes, my vision was bright.

I discovered that, just as Panlong had said, this was a very large natural cave. After observing the surroundings for a while, I found that there were no other entrances or exits, only the waterfall as the sole entrance and exit. Then I said to the Holy Buddha, "How about it? This cave is pretty good, isn't it?"

The Holy Buddha said, "Excellent, excellent. This place is very suitable for cultivation. Most importantly, the battle qi here is extremely rich. You can feel it for yourself if you don't believe me." After hearing the Holy Buddha's words, I opened my mind and began to feel the battle qi in the cave. I found that it was exactly as the Holy Buddha had said, and I felt that cultivating here was equivalent to cultivating outside for three days.

So I said to the Holy Buddha, "I've decided, this is the place. Holy Buddha, please tell me the cultivation methods for the third, fourth, and fifth moves of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. I will start cultivating now."

After hearing this, the Holy Buddha said, "Look how anxious you are. I'm not anxious at all." I was embarrassed to hear the Holy Buddha's words and said, "I just want to improve my strength as soon as possible." The Holy Buddha then said, "Alright, alright, I will teach you right away. First, find a place to sit cross-legged and open your mind."

Upon hearing the Buddha's words, I quickly found a relatively stable spot and said to the Buddha, "Alright, Buddha, let's begin." Just then, I felt a message appear in my mind, which said the following.

The above says:

The third move of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms – Dragon Fights in the Wild (Dragon Fighting in the Wild):

This is a very profound skill from the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. Both the left arm and the right palm can be used in a combination of feints and real attacks, without being restricted to one method. By using techniques that combine feints and real attacks, and yin and yang, to confuse the opponent, one can take advantage of the opening and strike. It is a strategy of luring the enemy.

The fourth move of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms – Hidden Dragon, Do Not Use:

The right hand bends its index and middle fingers, forming a half-fist, half-palm, and strikes at the enemy's chest, while the left hand simultaneously hooks inward, pushing with the right and hooking with the left, making it difficult for the enemy to dodge. This is a pincer attack, leaving the enemy nowhere to hide and completely under one's control.

The fifth and sixth forms of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms – "Crossing Great Rivers, Gradually Landing on Land":

These two moves are technical techniques used to force the enemy back, with the aim of preventing the enemy from getting close in order to protect oneself.

Originally, the fifth and sixth moves were to be used together, but due to your insufficient cultivation level, you are temporarily unable to practice the sixth move. However, remember not to use the fifth move lightly.

I was very excited after seeing the content above, and I couldn't help but want to learn it all right away. But I couldn't help it, my cultivation level was limited, and I could only practice the first five moves. Oh well, five moves is better than nothing.

Then I closed my eyes and slowly began to contemplate. A month passed like this. When I opened my eyes, I suddenly found that I had grown a layer of scales on my body. I kept asking the Holy Buddha, "Holy Buddha, what are these things? Why did I suddenly grow scales?"

The Holy Buddha said to me, "This is a normal phenomenon when practicing the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. Only when you reach the beginner level will scales grow on your body. When you reach the mastery level, you will transform into a dragon."

After listening to the Holy Buddha's words, I became increasingly unable to understand the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms. At this moment, I withdrew my fighting spirit, and the scales on my body gradually disappeared, hiding under my skin. At this time, I noticed that my navel had improved significantly, and I realized that I had entered the mid-stage of the Fighting King realm.

This made me very excited. I counted the time, and I realized that I had been in this forest for a year. There were only two years left until the three-year agreement was reached. At this moment, I suddenly thought of Weiwei. I wondered if Weiwei was doing well now.

Meanwhile, at Tianwu Academy, someone was also thinking about Xiu Chen. This person was none other than Weiwei. Weiwei was already in the late stage of Dou Wang and was about to step into the Dou Huang level. As soon as she advanced to Dou Huang, her qi could transform into wings, which would allow her to fly in the sky for a long time.

At this moment, Weiwei was sitting alone by the window, staring blankly at the scenery outside. Just then, someone came in. This person was the black-robed woman who had taken Weiwei away all those years ago. The black-robed woman walked directly to Weiwei's side and, seeing that Weiwei was in a daze, said to Weiwei, "Are you thinking about him again?"

Weiwei said to the woman in black robes, "Yes, Senior Sister, what do you think he's doing now? Is he doing well?" The woman in black robes replied to Weiwei, "Perhaps he's working hard at home now. Weiwei, you're already in the late stage of Dou Wang, almost Dou Huang. How can he not be working hard?"

Weiwei said to the woman in black robes, "Senior sister, I miss him so much. Can I go see him just for a moment and see if he's doing well? I can't stop worrying about him."

The woman in black robes said to Weiwei, "You, what can I say to you? I agree, but you can only take one look." Weiwei, upon hearing this, excitedly exclaimed, "That's great, Senior Sister! I knew you cared for me the most! When are we leaving? I can't wait! Senior Sister, what clothes do you think I should wear?"

The woman in black said to Weiwei, "Have you forgotten what we just said? It's just a glance. You're the one looking at him, not the other way around. Just wear whatever you like."

Upon hearing the words of the woman in black robes, Weiwei said with some disappointment, "Oh, okay, I understand. I'll be satisfied as long as I can see Xiu Chen."

Chapter 1199 Preparing to Depart

With the remaining two years, I suddenly thought of Weiwei. I wondered if she was doing well now.

Meanwhile, at Tianwu Academy, someone was also thinking about Xiu Chen. This person was none other than Weiwei. Weiwei was already in the late stage of Dou Wang and was about to step into the Dou Huang level. Upon advancing to Dou Huang, her Qi would transform into wings, allowing her to fly for extended periods. The level of one's Dou Qi cultivation technique was also crucial in determining future achievements. For example, someone cultivating a mid-level Xuan-rank technique would naturally be stronger than someone of the same level cultivating a high-level Huang-rank technique.

In the Dou Qi Continent, strength is determined by three factors. The most important, of course, is one's own strength. If one's strength is only at the one-star Dou Zhe level, even if you cultivate a rare, high-level Heaven-rank technique, you'll still find it difficult to defeat a Dou Shi cultivating a Yellow-rank technique. Secondly, there's the technique itself! Between strong individuals of the same level, if your technique is significantly higher, then during a match, various advantages will become apparent instantly. The last one is called Dou Mei! As the name suggests, this is a special skill that utilizes Dou Qi. Dou Mei also has different levels on the continent.

Generally speaking, it is also divided into four levels: Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow.

At that moment, Weiwei was staring blankly at the scenery outside the window when someone came in. This person was the black-robed woman who had taken Weiwei away all those years ago. The black-robed woman walked directly to Weiwei's side and, seeing that Weiwei was in a daze, said to Weiwei, "Are you thinking about him again?"

Weiwei said to the woman in black robes, "Yes, senior sister, what do you think he's doing now? Is he doing well?" The woman in black robes said to Weiwei, "Don't think about him. Maybe he's working hard at home now. Weiwei, you're already in the late stage of Dou Wang, and you're about to become Dou Huang. How can he not work hard? He will definitely work hard too."

Weiwei said to the woman in black robes, "Senior sister, I miss him so much. I dream about him every night. I really miss him. Can I go see him just for a moment, to see if he's doing well? I can't stop worrying about him."

The woman in black robes said to Weiwei, "You, what can I say to you? Alright, I agree, but you can only take one look." Upon hearing the woman in black robes' words, Weiwei excitedly said, "That's great, Senior Sister! I knew you cared about me the most! When are we leaving? I can't wait! Senior Sister, what clothes do you think I should wear? Floral or solid colors?"

The woman in black said to Weiwei, "Have you forgotten what we just said? It's just a glance. You're the one looking at him, not the other way around. Just wear whatever you like."

Hearing the black-robed woman's words, Weiwei said with some disappointment, "Oh, okay, I understand. I'll be satisfied as long as I can see Xiuchen." Seeing him makes me feel a little better. I hope he's doing well. I hope he'll strive to become stronger, then I can rest easy.

The woman in black said, "Alright, hurry up and change your clothes. We don't have much time. Let's get ready quickly and set off."

At this moment, Li Xiuchen, having tidied his belongings in the forest, looked back at the forest where he had spent three years. "I'm finally leaving." When an ordinary, unremarkable person realizes they possess the potential to become an unparalleled genius, without sufficient willpower, it's difficult to maintain their composure. Clearly, Li Xiuchen, who was merely an ordinary person in his previous life, lacked this extraordinary willpower. Therefore, after he began cultivating battle qi, he strayed from the path to becoming a celebrated genius.

He is growing up quietly! If nothing unexpected happens, Li Xiucheng might really be able to grow bigger and bigger with the title of genius.

Outside Tianwu City, a ragged young man carrying a large bag walked step by step towards the city. Looking at the crowd before him, he seemed utterly bewildered. Just as he entered the city, a guard at the gate stopped him, saying, "Get out of the way, little beggar! You think you can get into Tianwu City looking like that? Dream on! Don't you know this is a place for you? Are you trying to beg in the city?"

Li Xiuchen looked at her clothes; they were indeed very tattered, but this outfit had been with her for many years. It fit her perfectly, so its weariness didn't matter. She asked the guard, "How can I get in? Is it for money or something?"

The guard from Tianwu City said, "Who do you think you are? You think you can be disrespectful to me? Or you could kneel down in front of me and beg for my permission, and maybe I'll let you in."

Li Xiuchen was enraged. How dare a mere guard make things difficult for him? When had he ever suffered such humiliation? He unleashed his mid-stage Dou Wang aura, sending the guards staggering about. The guards were all stunned. At this moment, a guard leader stepped forward and said, "Lord Dou Wang, these guards are new and ignorant. They have offended you. Please don't take offense. If you are not satisfied, I can teach them a lesson. Please calm down." Turning to the guards, he said, "You little brats, come here and kneel down before Lord Dou Wang! Are you blind? Do you know who he is?"

The guards quickly said, "We were ignorant and didn't recognize your greatness. We have offended Lord Dou Wang. Please forgive us. We will never do it again."

Just then, a murderous urge arose in Li Xiuchen's heart. Seeing that something was wrong, the Holy Buddha chanted Buddhist mantras that flowed into Li Xiuchen's mind. Li Xiuchen shook his head, feeling relieved. He was lucky that the Holy Buddha had saved him from the demonic invasion, otherwise he would have become a ruthless killer.

The guards below, seeing Li Xiuchen's constantly changing expression, were terrified and quickly knelt down again. Li Xiuchen said to them, "Considering your difficult survival, I won't make things difficult for you." Upon hearing this, the guard leader knelt down around the guards and then silently walked away.

The Holy Buddha said, "This is the pitiful state of the lowest level of people on the Dou Di Continent. They fawn over and flatter those with high cultivation levels, and bully those who are poorer and of lower status. This is due to their own desire to bully. As the saying goes, 'Every pitiful person has something hateful about them.' Do you understand?"

Li Xiuchen said, "I understand. I hope there are very few people like that."

Standing on the street, watching the people passing by, Li Xiuchen couldn't help but think that the three-year agreement was almost up. He wondered how Weiwei was doing, whether she was being bullied at Tianwu Academy, and if she missed him. He felt a deep longing for her. He thought he should go to the tavern and ask.

As Li Xiuchen walked towards the tavern, he didn't see the elegantly dressed young master riding a griffin approaching. The young master, seeing someone blocking his way, was furious. He directly steered his griffin towards Li Xiuchen, completely oblivious to the fact that this was wrong.

Li Xiuchen looked up at the griffin charging towards him, his heart filled with rage. He unleashed a powerful strike, "Regretful Dragon Strike," sending the griffin and the young master on its back flying.

Young Master Wang got up, shook his clothes, and said, "Who is the blind fool who dares to offend me?"

A bystander remarked, "Isn't that the third young master of the Wang family, the most powerful family in Tianwu City? How come he got beaten up?" Another person said, "Don't you know? The third young master Wang rides a griffin around, and if anyone gets in his way, he just runs them over and kills them. We all have to avoid him. But today's a bit strange; someone actually beat him up." I think this guy really messed up by hitting the third young master Wang; he's committed a serious offense.